Blue Skies
by Inaho
Summary: When Naruto tries to lose himself, it's up to Sasuke to bring him back. COMPLETE
1. Part I

Disclaimer: I claim no ownership to _Naruto_ nor the artwork of Sora Omote

_Blue Skies_

Inspired by Sora Omote's fanart, to whom I would have asked permission had I known how to write Japanese.

* * *

One of the most important ninja rules taught at the academy was, "Always be aware of your environment." Not only would it prepare you in the off-chance of a battle, but it could save your life as well.

And somehow, he had managed to forget this.

Perhaps it was the sudden increase of friends he had, or at least people he knew whom he would call friends. Perhaps it was the fact that he woke up every morning with a place to go, to people who were waiting for _him_. Or perhaps it was that after so many years of loneliness, he had finally dared to hope, that by some small chance, he was being accepted.

And so, while in the midst of this desperate dream, he had forgotten.

He had forgotten that the village of Hidden Leaf extended farther than the few roads he walked down daily. He had forgotten that a handful of children and a few adults did not represent Konoha as a whole.

And he had forgotten what it meant to be despised.

So when he was shot with a look, _that_ look, by a random stranger passing him on the streets, he could not stop the sudden hitch in his breath nor the icy coldness that gripped his heart. And God, it _hurt_.

It hurt remembering the looks, the names.__

Demon.

The utter hatred.

_Abomination._

And suddenly, his apartment seemed too big and too cold, and he wanted nothing more than to get out and find someone, _anyone_, who would look at him with a friendly face. Anyone who would see _him_.

But Iruka-sensei was busy and Konohamaru had class. Shikamaru said being with him was too tiresome, and Chouji never did anything except eat. When he had found Kiba, the other had raucously insulted him, and Shino had said nothing, because, well, he was Shino. Lee was out training, and when he became desperate enough to seek out Neji, the Hyuga was nowhere to be found. Sakura was with Ino, both too busy fighting over Sasuke to notice him. Kakashi-sensei said he had to go save Lady Shijimi's pet cat from a tree again, but he knew that pervert was off to read that book of his. And Sasuke…he laughed at the notion of going to his rival for comfort.

And it was thus so, how his blissful dream began to fall away. Because he realized how alone he was, even surrounded by all these so called "friends." And he was reminded of how many times those "friends" yelled at him, told him he was too loud, too annoying, a pest, a brat.

_Dobe._

And somehow, that hurt worst than anything the villagers called him.

Suddenly, he didn't want to be Uzumaki Naruto. He didn't want to be the #1 Loudmouthed Ninja, because he knew that's what they all called him. He didn't want to be the boy with the Demon Fox. He didn't want to be the outcast, the class idiot.

_Dead last._

And that's how he found himself, months ago when the coldness first began to devour him, stealing from the department store. And that night, he had found his release.

It was suppose to be a one-time thing. He had thought after that one time, everything would go back to normal, and he wouldn't feel the way he did, wouldn't feel so alone. And everything from that night, he had readily buried in a box deep beneath his bed, left to be forgotten.

But every day, the looks were there, burning into his head whenever he stepped out of his building. And suddenly, the mornings didn't seem so bright and the bridge didn't look so welcoming, because Sakura only ever waited for Sasuke, and Sasuke wouldn't care if he came or not, and Kakashi-sensei…well, he never waited for anyone, but the other way around. No one was waiting for him. But…but they were there, right? And that was enough.

Then, one morning, no one was there waiting.

Several hours later, Kakashi-sensei had shown up, apparently on his way to train Sasuke, and he swore that he had told them to tell him there were no missions that day. And after a rather unconvincing apology, the gray-haired man had left, leaving him still standing alone on that bridge.

That night, the box had been unearthed from under his bed.

And soon, the clothing didn't feel so awkward, and the make-up didn't feel so disgusting, and it didn't take him so long to adjust to his new body. It should have been scary, how often he took on this form, how comfortable it was starting to feel to where he almost wanted to be that way all the time. And the first time he realized this, he had immediately changed back, couldn't yank the clothing off fast enough, shoving them back into the box and hid them away again, this time in the deep recesses of his closet. His face didn't feel clean for days, even after the five times he washed it, making sure every bit of foundation and lip gloss was gone, and he vowed that was the last time.

But the looks were there and the coldness was there and as much as he tried to resist, as much as he tried to ignore it, the loneliness was there. And it _burned_.

So it wasn't long before he pulled out the box from under a pile of dirty laundry, lifted the lid with shaky hands, and lost himself again. Month after month, he did this, feeling relief for a few hours, only to be hit by the coldness twice as hard each time he returned to himself. Every month, he vowed it was the last time, only every month turned into every week, and every week into every day.

It was like a drug.

And so, here he was Friday night, walking down a street he had walked down so often, in a city he had found on his first escape. It wasn't far from Konoha that he couldn't get back before morning, but far enough for him to forget. And he wanted to forget.

His body thrummed with energy as he neared his destination, the loud beat already reaching his sensitive ears through the walls. He bypassed the long line of strangers, already feeling some of their gazes upon him, heated by something that wasn't the same as the villagers back home, as he walked all the way to the front and past the big man at the door. Mika shot him a smile as he placed a hand upon the door handle—

"Go give 'em a show."

—and with a wink, he was inside.

All around him were bodies, not the dead ones he saw from his job, but live, writhing ones, meshed together in a pool of heat. Strangers were up against strangers, twisting, grinding, living in a world created by the flashing colored lights upon the darkened room, the loud music reverberating off the walls in a fast, maddening tempo.

As soon as he stepped in, the eyes were upon him, burning him in a way that made his blood sing. And as he made his way towards a relatively less crowded part of the room, some of the occupants had stopped to stare at him with obvious heat. Some of them stepped out of his way, pushing others to do the same, but with no less intensity in their eyes as they also watched him. They knew his rule.

Their gazes were still on him from all around when he stopped, and closing his eyes, he reveled in their attention. The heat of the room had peaked upon his entrance, several eyes drinking in his form hungrily, and he smiled, just a little. The effect was imminent, as instead of appeasing their want, his action had intensified it.

He wondered if the Kyuubi was a vixen instead of a fox.

Before he could dwell further upon that thought—wasn't he here to forget? — he threw himself into the music, moving in a way he had seen some girls move, with a mix of his own style. Soon, the deep thumping of bass entered his body, took away his senses until all he could focus on was the rhythm. That and the looks.

Almost on their own, his hands ran across his chest, down his hips, and then back up in the air as he tossed his head to the side, sending his pigtails flying in a majestic arc. The eyes followed those hands, and he knew they wished they were their own, touching him, owning him—he arched his neck, exposing a milky throat, and parted his mouth in a small exhale of breath—but none of them took a step nearer. No one dared, because they knew his rule. But that did make them want him any less, if not more.

And like a succubus, he drank in their want, replacing the looks of venom and disgust that haunted his mind with looks of heated lust and desire. This is what he needed. This is what he wanted—

_Look at me. Make me forget. For tonight, make me forget…_

—except a pair of eyes of the darkest night, the piercing gaze of a certain boy, was not there. And he knew he would never feel those eyes upon him like the way he wanted, not just because he was a boy, but because he was _himself_.

_For tonight, let me be someone else…_

So amidst the loud music and dancing bodies, he let himself forget, and the loudmouthed ninja, the vessel of the feared Demon Fox, the clown, Uzumaki Naruto, was no more.

* * *

The picture which inspired this piece can be found at http : nanafuku . vivian . jp / nana-f / 5432hit . html (without the spacing). 

This was meant to be a one-shot, but I decided to break it up due to its length. It's about 4 or 5 parts. Please review if you would like to see more. It is already mostly done. 


	2. Part II

Disclaimer: I claim no ownership to _Naruto_ nor the artwork of Sora Omote

_Blue Skies_

Part Two

* * *

Sasuke was positively livid. Of all the stupid missions Kakashi had sent them on, this had to be one of the worst. And what more, it was to retrieve his idiot teammate. At 1:42 in the morning. Seriously, there had to be something wrong a man who invades his student's house that late at night, to tell him there was a mission to find a blond baka and that it had to be done _now_. And when he had asked why Sakura wasn't with him sharing this cruel and unusual torment, the jounin abashedly admitted that she had chased him out with a metal lamp, screaming about pervert teachers climbing through a girl's bedroom window. Never mess with a girl's beauty sleep, he had learned.

So here he was, trekking through the city Kakashi pointed him to, alone, because the said man had mentioned something about "getting his boo-boo treated" and disappeared off in the direction of a certain school teacher's house. And again, Sasuke had to wonder what he did to end up with that lecher for an instructor.

As he searched street after street for the club name that had been shouted at him at the last minute, his mind was drawn once again to the source of his problem. Naruto. That blond was always causing trouble for him, if not annoying him with his rambunctious talking, then by doing something stupid where _he_ would have to save him. Such as now. What did that dobe think he was doing? Sneaking out of Konoha at night by himself, and what more, to go clubbing? What was wrong with him?!

Despite his angry thoughts, the Uchiha could not help but wonder if this disappearance had something to do with the boy's sudden change in personality two months ago. To others, it was not as noticeable, but for him, who had been studying the boy ever since that first sign of his increasing power, because one must know everything about one's rival, the shift was as obvious as the sun.

It became noticeable after the day Kakashi had actually showed up early to tell them there were no missions, and that one of them should tell Naruto, who had yet to show up, before poofing away in that annoying way he did. He remembered he had left without a word to get away before his pink-haired teammate had a chance to ask him for a date, and that he thought she would surely go inform Naruto, being the most responsible one of the group.

The next morning, Naruto was late, even more so than Kakashi. He had grinned sheepishly, saying he forgot to set his alarm clock, while trying to dodge Sakura's enraged fists. But Sasuke could see the bags under his eyes and knew the boy had not slept as much as he claimed, and there was something off about his smile, as if it didn't quite reach his eyes. But he had shoved it all away, snorting at his sudden concern for his rival. It must have just been a case of insomnia, and as long as the dobe performed as he always did, nothing would be wrong.

But something _was_ wrong. For one, as much as he acted, for it really was just an act, Naruto was not as energetic in the mornings when they met at the bridge. And that was when he was on time. Not to say that the blond was getting as bad as Kakashi, but before, the two of them would usually get there at the same time, sometimes Naruto first. But after that day, the boy would be the last of the trio to arrive, usually far later than Sakura. And that voice, while still loud to most, was not the same excited loudness from before. Finally, and this one bothered him the most, he found that the number of times Naruto pestered him with challenges or the number of times he asked Sakura for a date had decreased, and while his female teammate may have put aside this change as a stroke of luck, it screamed at him that something was Very Very Wrong.

Even with these warning signs, Sasuke found himself ignoring them again. After all, it was not his job to take care of the dobe. He had more important things to worry about, like getting stronger. And every time he reminded himself of this, all thoughts of Naruto would disappear from his mind.

After all, rivals did not worry about each other.

But when the other's performance during missions began to falter, whether it was slipping from a tree branch or missing the target, Sasuke found himself becoming increasingly angry. And he did not know why, which enraged him even more. So earlier today, when Naruto had accidentally let Tiger go after three hours of chasing the cat for the 57th time it had run away, he had finally had enough and slammed the boy against the nearest tree, ignoring Sakura's half-hearted protest.

_/ "What the hell is wrong with you?" His grip on Naruto's orange jacket tightened. He was sweaty, tired, and pissed off. And he wanted answers on the blond's strange behavior. Now._

The boy's reply was surprisingly quiet, and he doubted anyone other than him could hear.

"You look at me like everyone else does."

"What?" Before he could ask what he meant, the blond wrenched himself from his grasp and was off, gone, leaving him with more questions than before. /

Now, according to Kakashi, Naruto had run off several hours after their mission, which Sasuke and Sakura had completed themselves. When he had asked how he knew the exact place, the jounin had just smiled cryptically and said, "A teacher knows everything about his students." Sasuke didn't know whether to believe him or not.

The silent boy was pulled out of his reverie when he noticed the sudden increase in bodies before him, and he glanced at the name of the place with such a line of people waiting to get in. In blue neon lights, the words "Blue Skies" were written across the top of the building.

_/ "It's called Blue Skies." /_

So this was the place. For a club, it looked decent enough, and the number of people outside was further evidence. But while he felt relieved that the blond hadn't chosen some red-light district place, the club's popularity was a problem. From the size of the line, he would be waiting until dawn, and there was no way in hell he was standing five hours in line for the dobe. But neither was he going back empty handed, not after being rudely awaken from his comfortable bed at an ungodly hour and forced to trek through the forest and the city looking for him.

With that set in his mind, he marched past the line of people, ignoring protests from some that almost immediately turned into jeers, and Sasuke quickly decided that he did not like older women _and_ men staring at his ass, so he hurried to the front door where a tan bouncer with a bandana stood guard. The two stared at each other, unspeaking, and Sasuke was all ready to fight him if he had to, but before he even lifted a hand, the man let out a low whistle and a friendly grin.

"Wow. I swore I'd never see someone that could match Blue in looks, but I may just have to retract that statement."

Struck rather speechless by that comment, and not knowing how to respond, Sasuke decided to ignore it and carry on with his mission. Settling into his normal, impassive expression, he addressed "Mika," according to the golden pin on his shirt.

"I'm looking for someone inside."

One dark eyebrow rose—he was obviously under-aged—but no question was asked. Instead, the man just placed a hand on the door and opened it for him, the loud music from within suddenly assaulting his ears, and he fought not to wince, though he must not have completely succeeded, because it looked like Mika was laughing at him.

"Alright, my boy, in ya go, though I wouldn't tell anyone your real age, if I was you. And watch yourself, eh? It's not often these people get to see two beauties in one night, and they might not keep their hands to themselves."

Sasuke did not like the wink he was given, but gave a slight nod in thanks for the advice, before steeling himself to step in. The door behind him shut not seconds later, and he was effulged in the dark room. The music pounded in his ears and he had to cover them lest he burst a vein, and once again, he cursed his teacher and teammate for putting him in this situation. But, the sooner he found Naruto, the sooner he could get out of here. That thought alone drove him to walk into the crowd.

He found that the bouncer hadn't been kidding when he said to watch his back, for not mere seconds of being amidst the mass of dancers, all surrounding eyes were on him, and before he could glare at them all, he felt the first hand touching his butt. Ninja reflexes kicking in before his mind could stop him, the perpetrator was already on the ground when he turned around, face red. Crap. He just blew his cover. Most of the normal people of the cities in the Fire Country did not know of the Hidden Leaf, or that there were people out there killing to keep them safe. It was probably rare for them to see any fighting outside of the slums.

But looking around, he saw no one screaming, no one staring at him in horror. They were staring, but with now restrained lust. And he knew no one would touch him again, even if they wanted him, but he could deal with that. Hell, it was probably better than what he had to deal with from the girls at home, who never seemed to know when to quit.

Even with their new wariness for him, he didn't want to risk how long their restraints would last by being in the crowd. After all, there was a chance someone did not see his reaction, and would try again; he could not stand another such embarrassment. And so, he quickly headed over to the bar at the side of the room, sliding into a stool at one end away from the other patrons that was placed at the side of the bar table, giving him both a view of the bar and the rest of the room without having to put his back to either.

"Hello, sir. My name is Hunter. Is there anything I can get you?"

Sasuke turned to see a blonde woman, wearing the typical uniform of a bar host, with the addition of what looked like a ribbon under her hair and tied at the top. She was smiling pleasantly at him while drying out a glass. He noticed that she was a pale blonde—_Not like his_— to where it was almost white.

"Just water, please."

Her smile widened, and something mischievous, as if she was laughing inside, glinted in her gray eyes.

"Oh good! If you'd answered anything alcoholic, I would have had to kick you out. I can't believe Mika let in another under-aged kid, but he's usually a good judge of character. So you don't say anything and I won't say anything, 'kay?"

With another smile, she placed a tall glass of water before him, and he couldn't help wonder when, during all her talking, had she moved to fill his order. But he couldn't be distracted from his mission. Though shifting through the crowds of people did not look particularly appealing to him, and he would've liked to avoid it at all costs. Perhaps this woman could tell him where that blond baka was, seeing as she seemed rather familiar with the place. But before he could ask, another patron had raised his hand, and she had made a quick apology before whisking herself away.

So after taking a sip of his drink, Sasuke turned his eyes back to towards the dance floor, scanning through the numerous people for a flash of gold, a sparkle of blue, or a hint of a voice he knew probably better than his own, after being subjected to hearing it, rather loudly he might add, day after day.

Almost immediately, his eyes were drawn to a certain area, sort of off-center in the room, that seemed different. The mass of people seemed to flow around it, creating a bubble around whoever was at the center. And so he sat himself a little straighter in his chair to look over the numerous heads, and finally glimpsed the person everyone was gathered around. A person with a familiar head of sun-golden hair…

His eyes widened.

Instead of the short clumsy boy he thought he'd see, before him, dancing in the most sensual way, was definitely a _girl_. A long-haired girl with a cherub face that lacked the pair of markings adorned on his teammate's face, and while any of those features could be products of illusion jutsus, the way she moved could not, and he was _certain_ that Naruto could never moved in that way. He could not imagine it possible.

But something told him, despite how his mind insisted it was ludicrous, that this was it…that this was Naruto…

_Open your eyes…let me see your eyes…_

As if sensing him, her head turned in his direction, looked straight at him, and—__

/ his eyes were of the purest blue, like the sky after the sun appears from a rainstorm and all the clouds are gone, and he thought, he'd never see another person with such blue eyes /

— he knew.

* * *

Thank you to all who reviewed. I never expected so many so quickly. Anyway, I hope this second installment was also satisfactory. Sasuke is very hard to write for, so I apologize if he seems OOC.

Again, please review if you would like to see more. Though the story is basically finished, I may change things based on your feedback. Thanks again. 


	3. Part III

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: I claim no ownership to Naruto nor the artwork of Sora Omote 

_Blue Skies _

Part Three 

* * *

As fast as it had come, the recognition was gone, and suddenly, he found that her eyes were not of the correct shade, but duller. There was no spark in them that was distinct with Uzumaki Naruto, and he suddenly began to doubt he saw it at all. Perhaps it was a trick of the lights? But he was so sure… 

Suddenly frustrated by his doubt, the only action Sasuke could think of was to directly talk to her. If anything, her reaction to him should give her away. Naruto was never a good actor. And there was always the Sharingan, though he would have preferred not to use it in such a public place. 

Just as he was about to slide off the leather stool, a hand gripped his shoulder and he fought down his initial reaction of grabbing the offending arm and flipping the person over. 

"I wouldn't suggest it, kid." 

He looked over his shoulder to see it was Hunter who had stopped him. She was still smiling at him, though this time, there seemed to be something calmer and almost pitying in her expression. 

"What?" 

His eyes flicked on their own to her hand, and as if reading his mind, she smoothly removed it. It kind of creeped him out, how she could read him so well. But of course, his face gave away nothing. 

"I know who you were staring at, and I'm telling you to forget about it." She leaned forward, balancing her elbows on the bar counter, until her face was almost level with his, and they both looked out into the sea of people at the single blonde beacon twirling and writhing in her own little world. 

"We call her "Blue" around here, since she's never given her name to anyone." 

"Why that name?" 

Sasuke mentally beat himself for asking such a useless question, one he had just blurted out. But he could not kill his slight curiosity, of why they would name his teammate, for he could not shake the feeling it was him, that name. Not to mention, this was the Blue that Mika had compared him to earlier. He didn't know if he should be insulted now or not. He certainly hoped he didn't look like a girl. Then he realized he forgot to listen to the answer of his question. 

"…a pair of the bright blue eyes I've ever seen—" 

Sasuke stiffened. 

"—and so, started calling her that and it sorta stuck." 

He nodded absently but said nothing, his mind already debating whether or not this new bit of information was helpful on disclosing the identity of this girl. But before long, Hunter chuckled, and his concentration was broken. 

"I'm telling you, kid. Give up now. The last time someone laid a hand on her, he got that arm broken and several teeth knocked in. It's her rule: look, but no touch." Gray eyes fell on his body, and her voice changed into something almost teasing. "But I will admit, you're probably the finest boy out of all I've seen who've tried to go for her." 

He chose not to comment to that. Instead, he decided to concentrate on what he had just learned. If what Hunter said was true, then that meant that Blue at least had fighting abilities, which meant she had to be Naruto, right? After all, the blond had reflexes just like his, and the other's reaction to someone else's touch would be the same as his before, right? But then, he knew there were those who studied martial arts outside of the hidden village, as a sort of self-defense against these kinds of happenings, and Blue could be one of them. 

Annoyance level rising, Sasuke bit back a growl from growing in his throat. Really, only the dunce ever made him this agitated. Thinking was getting him nowhere, so he should just approach her. It's not as if he can't defend himself, and if it really wasn't Naruto, then her fighting skills wouldn't even measure up to his. And if it was, well, his mission would be completed. 

Hunter was surprised when she saw the boy straighten to head out towards the dance floor. Was he crazy? Did she interest him that much? Hell, he could probably have hundreds of other women, with his looks, women who wouldn't attack upon contact. It was a pity, because she really liked him too. He didn't seem to have any bad intentions, unlike the other lecherous people she's seen set their eyes on Blue. 

"Wait!" 

The boy stopped and turned his head slightly so she could see the profile of his face, and waited. Really, what a quiet boy. 

"…If she starts to attack you, tell her I sent you. I don't know if it'll help, but with any luck, she'll stop." 

There was a pause, and then a nod, before he turned again towards Blue's direction, and suddenly, there was something so powerful about him, about how he walked, as if he would not lose, and she had to tell him. 

"We don't just call her Blue because of her eyes, you know. From the first day, there has been something very sad about her. You can see it in the way she dances, as if she's crying out." She wondered if he could even hear her voice, it had gotten so soft. "So please, if you can, make her smile? A real smile, I mean, not one of those flirty ones she throws to addle the crowd and I mean…Okay, I don't really know what I mean, but I just wanna say…good luck." 

For a moment, she thought her words had been lost in the overwhelming sound of the club's music, but then, the boy she had only met for a few minutes, without turning, raised his hand in slight gesture, and she knew he had heard. A warmed smile settled on her lips and she knew everything would be okay. He would be okay. 

Then she realized she didn't know his name. 

_/ black eyes with black hair and black clothes, moving with a smoothness like the wind, and a quiet calm settled all around him like blanket of cool air, and it reminded her of /_

Night. That's what she would call him. For he really was a child of the Night. And, she realized later with a small laugh, it was like she was watching a knight off to rescue the damsel in distress. 

_Yes, best of luck, Night. Bring our Blue home. _

===============

She had never felt more alive. The music was fast and she was dancing and everyone was watching. They wanted her, she could tell, with a lust so primal it made her blood burn. While this brought her a thrill that she couldn't get enough of, there was also a somewhat desperate need in her step, as if something inside of her was thirsting, wanting for something— 

_look at me_

—or someone. But she brushed it aside as silly, and focused on her dance and on the feel of everyone's eyes, running through each pair in the crowd and then—

someone find me 

—she felt it. 

In the direction of the bar, she turned, opening her eyes to see what kind of person it was that affected her so. What kind of person made her feel so _whole_. And there, standing by Hunter, she was met with a pair of the darkest eyes she had ever seen, pools of black that she could drown in, and suddenly, she felt a surge of unexplainable fear, because it was _him_ and what was _he_ doing here and—

Sasuke 

—then, there was nothing. It was just a man, a boy, really. Just another male caught by her dance, and nothing special. Though he was cuter than most, from what she could tell at this distance. Then, a pair of people blocked her view and she closed her eyes again, forgetting the strange boy and his eyes and continued to dance. 

But for some reason, she couldn't shake the sudden empty feeling inside.

* * *

Thanks again to all my reviewers. Sorry that this installment did not get put up as quickly as the second chapter, but I was debating whether or not to change a few things in response to what some of you wanted to see. I ended up not adding anything to this chapter, but I will most likely be for the future parts. So please be patient if the updates aren't daily. 

I realize many of you wanted to see Sasuke's reaction to Naruto's new look, and may have been disappointed by the logical-ness of this chapter. This is because Sasuke is still not 100% certain that this is Naruto. So you'll have to wait a little longer until you see his real reaction. ; 

I'm not going to explain anything about the last bit of this chapter. You'll have to wait and see.


	4. Part IV

Disclaimer: I claim no ownership to _Naruto_ nor the artwork of Sora Omote

_Blue Skies_

Part IV

* * *

Sasuke was apprehensive about diving into the crowd again, but thankfully, it seemed these people were not so oblivious as to miss his 'touch-me-and-I-will-make-sure-you-no-longer-have-hands-to-touch-anything-again' glare, and were sure to keep their appendages to themselves. After wading through the compact sea of bodies, and feeling rather claustrophobic from it, he finally neared the edge of the circle surrounding his target.

He was correct in that she had very long hair, pulled into two high pigtails and even then, it reached her lower back. From a distance, he had thought she was tall, and that was one thing that had thrown him off when he first saw her. But now up close, she appeared to actually be shorter than him. That could count towards her being Naruto. But then, height could also be easily faked.

Dropping that thought as it led him nowhere, Sasuke refocused on his task. While her face, despite lacking a pair of familiar scars, looked similar to that of his teammate, her fashion seemed to be completely different. Naruto had always worn his orange jumpsuit, and if not that, very loose t-shirts that were easy for movement. Blue, however, was fitted in a tight orange tank top edged in white lace, with a strip of white netting running up both sides, showing off her golden skin. A pair of tight blue jeans accented her hips, and a pair of strap sandals finished it off.

If that was Naruto, he did not want to know where or how the blond attained his wardrobe.

"Fuck, she's hot!"

"Didn't I tell ya?"

Sasuke frowned as a pair of young men, probably just hitting the legal age, bumped past him and stepped into his view. He could feel his face twist in distaste from the smell of their obvious intoxication, but being as there were so many people already in the club, he was forced to stay in place and try to ignore their drunken conversation.

"Man, wha I wouldn't give fer a piece a' tha' ass!"

"Yea? I've been comin' fer two months ta see 'er, an' I've never seen 'er wit no one. Alls she ever does is dance."

"Free game, yea? Wonder iff I can get 'er to dance…in my BED!"

Dirty laughter erupted from the pair, and he couldn't take it anymore. Being subjected all night to the ear splitting noise, the lustful eyes, the lewd comments; it made him sick. He just wanted to get this mission over with and go home, back to Konoha, which suddenly seemed so much more welcoming.

And for the second time, he found himself very angry. Angry at Naruto for making him come out here blindly. Angry at the boy's strange behavior that left him a shadow of his former self. And angry at the fact that the idiot, because no one else could be that stupid, had left himself open for two months among sleazy company for anyone to target.

This was not his rival.

This was not the happy, annoying boy that barged into his life every day, impossible to ignore because he was so damn _bright_. This was not the brash teammate who claimed almost daily that he would be the next Hokage. This was not the dobe who persistently challenged him on a regular basis, pushing them both to their limits and more.

This was not the opponent he wanted to fight.

There was something unexplainable inside him, building with each step he took towards the fake Naruto, until he was only a foot away from her within the guarded circle, and the something inside was ready to spill over. Everyone else seemed to have disappeared; there was only he and this girl. She seemed to not have noticed him, continuing her tight twirl that sent her hair flying around her, and he couldn't help think that if it had been the blond—the _real_ blond—he would never have let him get so close. And suddenly, he wondered what it was that had captivated him, enthralled him enough to doubt himself, when he first laid eyes on this nymph, who with all her grace—

_/ blue skies /_

—was not the one he wished to see.

"Naruto."

There was a gradual slow in her movement until she stopped altogether, and eyes of the wrong shade turned to look at him questioningly.

"Excuse me?"

===============

"I want to talk to Naruto."

An unexplainable coldness ran through her body when she met those dark eyes, and she suddenly wanted to run far far away, because the intense way those eyes were looking at her, _through_ her—__

him him him it's him

—it was too much to take.__

him him him why him?

And she realized she had been quiet too long, stared too long, and that an answer was silently being demanded of her. She cleared her throat, trying to rid any sign of wavering.

"…uh, who?"

A yelp caught in her throat when the eyes that had been boring into her from a distance were suddenly an inch away from her face, and the hand that she had unconsciously brought up to put _some_ kind of barrier between them, was gripped tightly by the wrist and gods, his touch was like _fire_.

Eyes frantically darting around, she saw face after face, still in a circle, stunned. None dared to move, dared to speak, as if this boy had frozen them in place. She was alone.__

always alone

And when she thought she couldn't be any more trapped, his eyes pinned hers and he leaned closer, until his body was almost pressed against hers and she could feel his breath upon her cheek. And he spoke softly, almost intimately, like the edge of a blade barely skirting against her skin.

"Why are you hiding, dobe?"

_dobe_

It was as if someone had poured ice water down her shirt, and everything stopped, falling away, to leave that one word—

_dobe dobe dobe_

—that hated word—

_DOBE_

—echoing in her ears. And the something inside that always cried out when she danced, the little lost voice that sounded suspiciously like a boy's…was silenced.

Broken.

===============

CRACK.

An angry flash of blue was his only warning, and Sasuke still could not stop the surprise that rose in him when his face was suddenly struck with a stinging sensation. Even though he had anticipated it, that didn't make the punch hurt any less.

"You BASTARD!!"

The plan had been simple. Get close enough to the girl to be intimidating, provoking, and the blond boy would reveal himself. And after a hidden challenge like that, from his rival no less, there was no way Naruto would stand by idly.

Or so Sasuke thought.

"Who the HELL do you think you ARE?!!!"

She was shaking from what he deduced as rage, face flushed under the club lights, and Sasuke could only remember the number of times the blond boy had given him the same look. But the shade of her eyes…

"Don't you EVER call me that!!!"

_Her eyes…_

Suddenly, he sprinted, fist raised, moving like water to come at the blonde's side, already calculating his next move as her arm came up to block. A sweep of his leg against the back of her knees, and the two of them went down, Sasuke quickly pinning her wrists with his hands and her legs with his knees.

"Or what, Naruto? What will you do?"

He stared coolly into her duller eyes, only inches from her face so that he could speak without yelling.

"You can't beat me."

"SHUT UP!!" Something flashed behind the shade of pale blue, before he was suddenly knocked back by the blonde's forehead butting his, and in his shock, his grip loosened, enough for the girl to throw him off and roll to the side.

"Shut up shut up SHUT UP!!!!" While rising from his spot on the ground, he watched her clutch her head, as if pained more by his words than her own attack, and a flicker of concern crossed his face before he reminded himself that his mission was _not_ complete. Wincing, he touched his forehead tenderly, the area already raw and bruising.

_His body remembers, but his mind…_

"I'M NOT NARUTO!!!"

Everything seemed to stop, even the music in the background, and the only sound that could be heard was the blonde's harsh breathing as she stayed on the ground with her head almost touching her knees.

"…No, you're not." Slowly, he walked towards her until his shadow was cast upon her curled form. "Not even the dobe was this pathetic."

A flinch, but nothing more. Sasuke was running out of ideas. Everything that used to provoke Naruto before…challenging him, fighting him…was not working. He was at a loss for what to do. As a rival, he did not know any other way to interact with the blonde. As a rival, what was there left for him to do?

_Is that what I am now? A rival?_

A frown settled upon his face.

_Rivals do not care about each other._

Sasuke found that he had crouched before the blonde, before her curled form. For the first time, he noticed how small the other was, arms tucked around slender legs in a tight ball, strands of gold pooled on the ground. So fragile.__

This is…Naruto?

Slowly, showing a rare case of uncertainty, Sasuke reached out to touch a golden lock, letting the strands slide along his fingers. It was like holding sunlight, the constant shifting of hues, warm to touch against his pale hand.

Even defeated, he could never figure out how the dobe _glowed_.__

This is…this is Naruto…

But…

_/ "There's more to me than the troublemaking screw-up the old man thinks I am!" /_

…this was not _his_ Naruto.

_/ "With this kunai knife, I promise you, I will protect the old man." /_

"What happened to your ninja way, Naruto?"__

/ "My dream is to be the next Hokage!" / 

"Nobody wants…Naruto."

_Rivals do not care about each other._

"I do."

_Rivals…_

"I want my rival back."__

…but also…

There was no reply and the dark-haired boy began to wonder if he hadn't made a mistake. Perhaps he had…failed. Perhaps he had lost the blond. Somehow, the thought of never seeing those blue eyes and that fool's grin again, of never coming up with new tactics to use against the always unpredictable boy again, of never feeling the soreness and weariness as they dragged each other back home from the training grounds again…brought an unexplainable emptiness to his gut.

He had lost his rival.

Suddenly, there was low chuckle.

"…damn you, Uchiha."

Slowly, the girl's head lifted, and the first thing he noticed was the smile on her face, so wide that her eyes were upturned crescents. It was a real smile, one created after countless pain, only to shine brighter once the dark clouds were gone. It would have taken his breath away, but…

Slowly, the thick lashes parted, and in the colored darkness of the club…

_/blue skies /_

…he knew he'd never see such blue eyes again.

* * *

Well, that's it, people. The end of _Blue Skies_.

Maybe.

You see, I actually have more after this point, but as I was writing it, I realized the mood of it all completely clashed with everything previously, so I stopped writing. But I also realize that ending the story here, I may leave a few loose ends. So I decided I'd ask what you guys wanted. 

So, should I write one more chapter or not? 

Again, thank you to all the reviewers for your comments. And if you still have questions, feel free to ask, because regardless of if you guys want another chapter or not, I will probably write one more author's note to at least announce the results and to properly thank those who reviewed. 


	5. Epilogue

Disclaimer: I claim no ownership to _Naruto_ nor the artwork of Sora Omote

_Blue Skies_

_Epilogue_

* * *

Kakashi sighed.

It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and best of all he had an adorable-especially-when-flustered boyfriend. A boyfriend who had no classes to teach today and he himself had taken a sick leave from training his team, because he really was quite ill, really. Cough. See?

So, sick as he was, he had planned to spend all day bed-ridden with his boyfriend, playing "Doctor."

That is, until Iruka closed the door on his face, blushing and muttering something about grading papers. The aforementioned door hadn't budged since, no matter how much the jounin pawed at it.

That was several hours ago, in which Kakashi gave up trying to get into his boyfriend's pa-…house. His dolphin could be quite abstinent when he wanted to be, which left him with his other love: Icha Icha Paradise.

Settled in a nice tree with a perfect view of a certain chuunin's front door, he had proceeded to indulge in his text, except the main protagonist no longer had brown hair, but gray, and the female lead now had a cute scar across her nose. And was male. And they were going at it like rabbits on speed. Yes, all was right with the world.

"I take it from that look on your face you're having another sick fantasy about Iruka."

His visible eye swung lazily to the left, where he knew the busty form of Tsunade was mimicking his position against the tree trunk on the next branch over.

"Ah, Hokage-sama. How do you know it is Iruka-sensei whom I'm fantasizing about?"

Tsunade rolled her eyes. Trust Kakashi to not even deny that he's having sexual fantasies. Truly a follower of that pervert Jiraiya and his books. Momentarily, she wondered what he would do if she banned those books from Konoha, but then decided it was more trouble than it was worth.

"Please, Kakashi. I have never seen you turn in so many mission reports on time. And each time you leave, Iruka's redder than a tomato. I'd appreciate it if you don't harass my helpers during their work hours."

_Meaning any other time is fine…_

The jounin's smile widened, though Tsunade did not see it due to his mask.

"So, to what else do I owe this personal visit? I am on sick leave, if you do not know Hokage-sama."

The sennin waved her manicured hand at him in a relaxed manner.

"Calm down. There are no missions. And I would never dream of putting a sick ninja into battle," The look she gave him clearly stated what she thought of his "illness." Kakashi smiled, then coughed loudly for good measure.

Tsunade kept from rolling her eyes again, looking through the leafy branches at the village instead. The village. _Her_ village. Every building and every person inhabiting them were under her protection. And she would risk her life for all of them. Except when she couldn't.

"How is he? The brat."

She turned to look at the jounin when he did not answer, and frowned to see he seemed fully immersed in his perverted book again. But she knew better, seeing how he lacked the normal mischievous look in his eye. He was waiting. Technically, Tsunade outranked him (heck, she outranked everyone in the village), and could force the answer out of him. But some days, days like these, she wanted to forget all that, all her responsibilities, her title. Sighing, Tsunade leaned back to stretch further along the branch.

"Hunter and Mika just turned in their report. All people present believe that it was a show put on by the owner as a surprise for his customers. I spoke to them before they returned to their posts."

She paused, and still hearing no sounds from the gray-haired instructor, continued.

"The two of them had been hired by that club owner almost as soon as it was opened several years back, so it's no surprise they didn't recognize Naruto at first. From what they described, even if they had known, it would have been hard to tell. They say it was like he was a completely different person."

She paused again. Still no reaction. Frustration gnawed at her. She had never been a patient woman, vouching more for noise and action. With that, she kicked the branch Kakashi was so precariously perched on, using just enough of her super strength to shake the man over the side. She watched with small satisfaction as the jounin was forced to drop his precious book in favor of latching onto the tree branch like a sloth to prevent his fall.

The worn book landed on the ground with a small "thwap."

Kakashi looked down longingly at his favorite novel, then up at his Hokage with watery eyes. Well, eye.

"That was mean, Hokage-sama."

Tsunade smiled sweetly.

"Tough, Kakashi. I'm sure you can live without your perverted stories long enough to tell me what I came out here to know."

Slowly, the jounin grappled the branch tightly before pulling himself right side up, brushing bits of bark off his vest before looking straight at Tsunade.

"Well, what do _you_ think? You are the medicine nin between us."

Tsunade straightened a bit, biting her bottom lip.

"Deterioration in everyday life functions, disintegration in expressed personality, multiple personalities…as a medic, I would have to diagnose possible schizophrenia. But…"

"That would mean Naruto is crazy."

She held Kakashi's gaze for a moment before nodding. Neither said anything, but instead, contemplated the effects, and more importantly, the dangers of having someone mentally unstable in possession of the Kyuubi. It was several minutes later before Kakashi broke the silence.

"Naruto is not crazy, Hokage-sama."

Tsunade frowned. "How can you be so sure?"

Kakashi leaned back against the tree trunk, drawing one knee up against his chest as he glanced up at the patches of sunlight leaking through the foliage.

"Iruka once told me about a conversation he had with the Fifth Hokage."

_/ "Iruka…can you imagine…?"_

"Imagine what?"

"How it must feel…so much hatred and hostility…to be treated with an animosity so intense as to be annihilating…to have around you many who would deny you even…the right to exist…" /

Again, Tsunade found herself the focus of the jounin's piercing gaze.

"Tell me, Hokage-sama. Would you be able to survive such circumstances?"

She could not tell if it was the way he was suddenly looking at her, or her mind reeling at the situation it was envisioning, but suddenly she felt a lot colder, despite the lack of wind.

"No normal human would."

"But Naruto is not normal."

Her head snapped up at his comment, mouth already forming the questions filling her head, but he spoke before she could utter a sound.

"Whether it be the Kyuubi or sheer will, Naruto has done some amazing things; things that have surprised us all because we thought them not possible. He's a strong kid. Something like this is just…a small bump on the path of growing up."

Tsunade stared.

Kakashi smiled.

"Are you saying…this was all caused by TEEN ANGST?!"

"Yep!"

Stare.

Smile.

…

Tsunade kicked his tree branch again.

"Meanie!"

The sennin rolled her eyes as Kakashi clung to the underside of the branch, not bothering to help him up.

"Whether what you say is true or not, the question is will it happen again? Will 'Blue' show up again?"

"I think—"

"Sasuke! Come back here and fight m—Whoa!"

From their perch in the trees, the two ninjas watched as the Uchiha heir caught the topic of their discussion in his arms.

"Dobe."

A splash of red painted Naruto's face as he hurriedly straightened, glaring pointedly at his rival.

"Bastard!"

As the two boys continued to squabble below them, the jounin and the sennin above them glanced at each other.

"…I think you have nothing to worry about, Hokage-sama."

Tsunade watched the pair for a few more seconds, a soft smile settling on her lips as she found the blond once again filled with the energy that convinced her to give him her most precious thing. The same energy that will make him Hokage one day.

"You can't even walk right, dobe, much less beat me!"

"I can _too_ walk right, Uchiha bastard! It's not my fault I tripped over…!"

Naruto's eyes widened.

Sasuke's eyes widened.

Iruka stepped out of his house, and his eyes widened.

Kakashi paled.

Tsunade fought down her laughter.

An orange book laid innocently in the blond boy's hand.

"I think…Kakashi…that you have much to worry about." With a wink and a grin, the female sennin bound off, leaving the jounin to the wolves, or in this case, dolphin.

"KAKASHI!!!"

Make that a very very _angry_ dolphin.

Kakashi sighed.

And it was such a beautiful day too.

_Owari_

* * *

**Author's Note:** That's it, people! _Blue Skies_ is officially done! Whoo!

Sorry that it took so long for this last part, but I had such Writer's Block when I got back. This is the third take on the ending! I also apologize that the quality got progressively worse near the end. ; It's rather difficult for me to write Tsunade, since I don't know her that well as a character, and Kakashi...since he's just a very complicated and annoying man. XD Kidding kidding. I love Kakashi.

Anyway, I hope everyone was satisfied with this ending, even if it may be a little OOC and there wasn't as much SasuNaru fluff as I would have liked. I tried, I really did! But the boys are determined to remain clueless. XD But that's part of what makes their interaction so cute, I guess. I hope a few things are cleared up now, and if not, uh...take your best guess! ;

But really, thank you all for your support during the whole writing process. Your words meant a lot! Really!

Okay then, until next time!

--- Inaho

**Special Thanks:**

To whoever it was that sent me that really long email! I'm sorry, I forgot your name, and stupid AOL got rid of the email. But you know who you are, and thanks for your constructive comments! I definately try to work on those in the future!

To whoever it was that sent me my ver first fanart!! Again, I'm sorry that I forgot your name and that my box ate up your email, but I have the picture on me computer and thanks so much! I'm an artist too, so it's really exciting to have inspired someone to draw. Thank you!

And to

lalala  
Licht Sieger  
Pale Rider  
cdkobasiuk  
Guardian of Faith  
someone  
Chisama  
ITSAME  
kiowen  
nitrogren narcosis  
Shinigami Yumi  
Dark Mimiru-Chan  
Kittie  
tatsumaki  
Native Sakura  
Sugahlei  
Gisela  
Akki  
V G Jekyll  
Watermelon Gal  
Kisu  
bestangelbaby  
Halig  
Yume  
Pheox  
ghostninja85  
Of-The-Yin-Yang  
Dearest  
Kin Uchiha  
Rebel  
Fox  
brokenraven

Thank you all for not only reviewing, but encouraging me to write more! You are all too cool!! 


End file.
